Dry cell and process of making the same



1,611,153 R. c. BENNER E'r Az.

Dec. 21 1926.

DRY CELL AND PRodEss oF MAKING THE SAME Filed Nov. 21 1923 Patented Dec. 21, 192e.

f similar to that shown` in Fig. 3, but having *UNITED sr .RAYMOND C. BENNER, F B ALYSIZDE,y AND HOMER W. 1 ASSIGNORS TC NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY,

YORK.

JoNns, or rLUsnme, NEW roux,

may CELL ANnrRocnss or runtimev rmi sum.

Application mea novenbefarnisee. serial No. 676,137.

This invention relates to dry cells of. the flat Atype embodying a shallow container which forms one electrode-f the ccll. A 'principal object of the invention 1s to provide improved and4 simplified means 'for holding the parts of thecell together, pref.

erably under compression.

yVarious forms of cells constructed-as 1ndicated generally above have, heretofore been devised. These cells ordinarily 'coinprise separate elements adapted to cooperate with the container electrode in retaining the 'other parts of the cell. Such'elements may be a' top fitting upon the container electrode,

a wrapping of fabric, an incrustation of a plastic, such as celluloid, and otherspecial securing means. Frequently separate provision is made for placing the cell under compression, by screws, wedges, or lequivalent devices. Y

In accordance with our invention, the ad vantages of the type of cells referred to are obtained with marked simplification 'of structure by utilizing an inturned portion of. the wall of the container electrode to hold the assembly together. In a preferred form,

the wall of the container electrode is crimped inwardly at its upper margin .upon an insusite polarity, which forms a closure for the container. I

The inventionwill be described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 isa vertical section through a cell having the improved closure;

Fig. 2 is va top plan View of the cell;

Fig. 3 is a verticalsection through a modilied'form of cell;

Fig.4 iis a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a cell the position of the electrodes reversed; and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing "l a modified form ofv insulating means.

Referring izo-Figs. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical zinc cup lined with bibulous paper 2, or the like, and containing a layer 3 of electrolyte paste upon its bottom. A disc 4 of suitable material, such as pulp board, separates the electrolyte paste from depolarizng mix 5. A carbon plate 6, preferably havlng a protruding portion 7 rests upon the mix. An insulat ing collar 8, imperviousv tof INC., A CORPORATION OI.4 NEW s" fitted over the' portion] and 'entends ,totheV lclrcumference of the cell. 1 i

the zinc cup is turned inwardly-upon insulating collar 48, forming `af 're ta`in1ng flange 9. The collar should be made of )material capable "of resisting the compressive force applied. Tough. ber board vimpregnatedzwithlparaiiin is a suitable material.

The cell should be compressed'to secure .the

`most efficient contact between the reactive the* elements, and the flange9 should be formed i while the cell is so compressed. In this way the desired degree. rof contact will be permanently maintained. f

In the cell shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the means for securing the 4parts isessentially the same as that previously described, but the cellarrangement is modified. The zinc container electrode 1 0 is formed with a shoulder 11 extending inwardly fromits walls and bounding al pastereceptacle 12 in the container bottom. -An electrolyte-proof insulating lining 13 conforms to the container wall 14 and overlies the shoulder 11. A coherent block of depolarizer 15 rests upon the lining of the shoulder. A. duplex electrode, consisting of'a metal plate 16 with a conductive carbonaceous coating 17, is placed upon the depolarizer, the coating 17 being' in contact therewith.

The upper portion 18 of wall 14 is turned inwardly and presses the lining against the duplex electrode. farther over the duplex electrode than does the crimped portion of the wall. In this way contact between the zinesof adjacent cells is prevented and the cells are properly centered when stacked to make series con-A nectiony between the duplex electrodes and the zinc containers. i

In the form ofthe invention shown in Fig. 5, a zinc electrode 19 forms the top of the cell. The cathode is a sheet metal container 20 provided with a conductive car- The lining should extend bonaceous layer 21 upon its bottom. A depolarizer mass 22 rests upon the layer `21 and is spaced from the zinc electrode 19 by a marginal insulating strlp 23.' The cenltral area of the lzinc electrode is elevated `to the margin tov provide a withl respect electrolyte paste 24. An insuchamber for lating strip 25 conforms to the walls of the container 20 and when these are crimped inwardly, as at 26, the strip spaces the walls from the zinc.

The conductivelayer upon `the bottom of the container may be extended u wardly on the side walls, replacing the insu ating strip 25. This form of cell 1s illustrated in Fig. e.' wherein 27 denotes a sheet metal container having its bottom and'walls lined with 'an im ervious conductive material 28. This should extend to a point adjacent the zinc electrode 19 and is an effectual protection against corrosion ofthe side walls. y

Annular Ainsulating strips 30 and 31 are placed below zinc electrode to s ace it respectively from the mix 22 and t e flange 26. The aste 24: may only partially till its chamber, eav` ine room for exaansion.

It is preferre to 4use duplex electrodes, because of 'their superior conductivity, strength, flexibility, and space economy. They may be made as described in the application of R. C. Benner, Serial No. 534i,-r 509, filed February 6, 1922; that is by coating zinc or other sheet metall on one surface with a graphite-containing plastic adapted to harden upon the metal. Other suitable methods may be adopted. such as forcing graphite particles into a plastic applied to the metal, or suspending graphite in a volatile liquid and brushing or spraying the suspension on a metal backing. Barattin may be used -as a binder for the graphite particles. f

Insome cases juxtaposed plates of carbon and metal are the equivalent of the duplex electrode. Carbon plates alone may be used, as in the cell of Figs. 1 and 2. 'lhe carbon plates should generally be rather thick, to guard against breakage.

As an incident to the improved means for securing the cell elements in assembled relaproper 'amount of compression, there is the important advantage of securing an electrolyte-proof seal for the cell. No liquid escapes between the cell cover vand the retaining flange formed by the crimped container wall, since the insulating material compressed between these parts forms an impervious packing. The. `seal is ordinarily hermetic. This is permissible when the cells are to be used in low drain work, a' s for example in radio B batteries, since there is no large evolution of gas. If the cells are to be subjected to heavy current drain, a gas vent should be provided. This may be formed by making i4-perforation in the cover, or in other suitable ways. 0r a portion of the cell may be left vacant to serve as an expansion chamber, as shown in one form 1n Fig. 6.

We are aware that insulating covers have and above the marvin of the.

been secured to cells by crimping, spinningh or punching the metal of the container electrode to engage the cover.y Such construc-j tions are not applicable to cells in which an electrode is use as the closure. Thev present invention provides a practical way of simultaneousl securin compressing, and sealing the eements o cells of this latter type. The embodiments described are' illustrative only, and variousy modifications may be made within the `scope'of the .appended claims. v 'y e claim: g

1. A dry cell comprising a container electrode, electrolyte and de olarizer therein, said container electrode having its walls crimped inwardly at the top, a second electrode forminer a closure for lthe container electrode, and an insulating member conf forming to the walls of the container electrode and spacing the crimped portion of he same from the said second'electrode, said insulating member also serving to completely space the depolarizer mix from conf tact with metallic parts of the container.

v2. dry cell having a metallic container serving as one electrode and a closure for the container serving as the other elect-rode, electrolyte and depolarizer therein, insulat ing means lining the container and spacing the depolarizer and closure therefrom.

3. A dry cell having a metallic container serving as one electrode and a closure therefor serving as the other electrode, active material therein, and suitable lining means spacing the active material and closure from y the container.

4. A dry cell having'v a metallic container serving as the anode anda closure therefor serving as the cathode, electrolyte and depolarizer therein, a lining 'for the container spacing the cathode and depolarizer therefrom, and a seal comprising material impervious to electrolyte compressed between an upper crimped-in portion of the container and the closure.

5. In a dry cell, a metallic container servi g as an electrode, a closure serving as the other electrode, electrolyte and depolarizer therein, and insulating means within the container andfspacing the depolarizer and closure therefrom, said container having a circular boss on the bottom thereof and being folded over at the top over the closure and insulating mea-ns. said insulating meansextending beyond the folded over portion of the container."

In testimony whereof, I allix my slgnature.

HOMER w. Jonas.. 

